The Weekly Selection

Unusually for me, I haven't been buying much in the way of beauty products lately - actually, make that, at all. I suppose you could say I've been on something of a spending ban, although I haven't officially been calling it that, or telling anybody that I'm doing it. It's been more a case of just keeping my purse closed because there have been so many other expenses to cover, and there are even more just around the corner, and I have to say that I'm really rather impressed with myself for not giving in. In fact, it hasn't even been as difficult as I would have imagined, as there hasn't really been all that much that I've wanted that badly of late.

So, as I haven't been splashing the cash, I've been making the most of my current collection, and these are the products that I've been enjoying over the past week.

Now, I say I haven't bought anything, but there are two exceptions in this post, those being the Tresemme Keratin Smooth shampoo and conditioner. I don't really think these count, as they are a necessity and are very reasonably priced. I've been wanting to try the Keratin Smooth range for a while now, but it has only just arrived where I am, so when I saw these two in the supermarket last week I snapped them up and have been using them ever since. So far, so good - but I have to say, it takes a lot to impress me where haircare is concerned, and with these two I haven't seen anything that makes me want to shout about them from the rooftops. They are a nice day to day duo and do the job for which they were designed, but while my hair does seem to be that bit less frizzy, I can't be sure it's not just down to the little DIY trim I gave myself last week. They do leave my hair soft and manageable though, and for the price I can't complain.

Once again, I've been loving my Topshop Cream Blush in the shade Flush for a bright pop of coral that's perfect for the warmer summer weather. Where lips are concerned, I have resurrected an old favourite, the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey, which is such an easy every-day product to reach for. While I do love a bright lip in the summer, lately I've been finding that I can't always be bothered with the maintenance they involve, and despite being a lipstick girl at heart I've been favouring lighter products which will let my lips breathe a bit more. Honey is such a flattering shade and I think it would suit pretty much anyone. It's subtle yet pretty, and is so easy to reapply on the go without having to worry about doing so to perfection. It keeps my lips nice and hydrated too, which is always a bonus in the heat.

Skincare-wise, I've been relying on the Elemental Herbology Facial Glow Radiance Peel to exfoliate my skin and keep it looking its best on a weekly basis. The sunshine can leave it feeling that bit more dehydrated than usual, and with extra sebum production being a bit of a risk this helps to get rid of any pore-blocking debris as well as leaving skin smooth and glowing.

I've also been slathering the Nip & Fab Mango Smoothie Dry Skin Fix Body Butter on lately, as whenever it's sunny I like nothing more than to douse myself in fruity fragrances that epitomise the long summer days. It's pretty moisturising, though I wouldn't say it's as amazing in that department as some seem to find it. It does smell exactly like a real mango smoothie though, and it only costs £2.95 -  can't argue with that.

Which products have you been loving the most this week?

xx

The Weekly Selection

I always enjoy doing my monthly favourites, but as time has gone on I've found myself leaning more and more towards making videos about them, and once I have done that I always think twice about posting about them as well, as I feel it might be a bit much. However, I do know that some of you would much rather see a post on the topic, as a lot of people do tend to do their catching up via mobile phone on the go, and nobody wants to be blasting out a video on the tube or the train for all to hear.

So, The Weekly Selection is born. In this series of posts, I'll be sharing with you whatever has made it onto my most-loved list this week, so expect to sometimes see a few old favourites making their way in amongst my newest finds, as often I will have a bit of a root around in my collection and come across a little gem I had forgotten all about (I will always mention if this is the case).

This week, it's been all about the Elemental Herbology Bio-Cellular Super Cleanse*,  a creamy cleanser containing apple AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) to boost cell turn over and gently exfoliate the skin. I've been wanting to add some regular acid exfoliants to my routine for some while now, as I wanted to see whether doing so would help me out in the war against hormonal breakouts, and being able to work this in daily in the form of a cleanser is handy when it comes to both time and money. I've been using this as my evening cleanser, as it's great at removing every last trace of makeup, as well as giving my skin a good, deep-down clean, leaving it feeling soft, nourished and comfortable.

Continuing with the theme of acid exfoliants, I've been trialling this mini size of the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner,  a light  lotion which again this uses AHAs to break down any debris and dead skin that might block the pores. I swipe this liberally across the skin every evening, after double cleansing, and by morning my skin is baby soft and smooth. I have to say, this really seems to be doing the job when it comes to keeping blemishes to a minimum, and as an added bonus, will help to strengthen the skin's resistance to wrinkles when used regularly. I have already ordered the full-size bottle of this, as it has definitely made it to 'can't live without' status in a short space of time.

Makeup wise, my biggest obsession of the week has undoubtedly been my new Sleek Face Form Contour Kit. I went for the 'light' version, which contains a flattering matte contour powder, highlighting powder and the infamous Rose Gold blush. The bronzey contour shade is great for sculpting the face and adding a subtle wash of colour, and definitely isn't too over-powering or obvious on pale skin. The Rose Gold blush is just beautiful - a shimmery, peachy pink that is not dissimilar to Nar's cult Orgasm blush. This won't leave you looking like a glitter ball, but it will leave you with glowing cheeks - in fact, I don't really find that I need a highlighter when using this, as it does the job just fine on its own. My only gripe is that it doesn't blend as well as some of my other powder blushes, but the shade is such that I can let that slide. The highlighting powder is a pretty, subtle, champagne shade, and looks lovely dotted on top of the cheekbones on top of a more pared-down blush. Again, the effect is really natural, without a hint of overkill in sight.

Last but not least, I have fallen in love with Revlon 'Fearless' Nail Enamel, a zingy, vibrant orange-toned red that just screams summer. This goes perfectly with the Mac Lady Danger lipstick, for any of you who like to match your nail polish to your lips, and is sure to make a repeat appearance on my nails over the coming months, again and again.

What have your most loved products been this week?

xx